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Mark Dowell

By Kristy Bleizeffer Sep 6, 2017

Late September through November is prime time for vaccination against the flu virus for people living in Wyoming. Flu season in the Cowboy State typically starts later than other parts of the country, and the flu vaccination gets weaker over time, says Dr. Mark Dowell, an infectious disease doctor at Wyoming Medical Center and Rocky Mountain Infectious Diseases. Getting your shot now provides the best window for the strongest protection.

By Kristy Bleizeffer Apr 11, 2017

UV light disinfection is the latest advancement in the arm’s race against Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI). As hospitals up the arsenal in new chemicals and cleaning techniques, germs adapt and become harder to kill (similar to how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.) The IRS 1140m UV Light Disinfection system destroys the DNA and RNA micro-organisms need to reproduce. Wyoming Medical Center now employs this system in our never-ending effort to provide the safest, highest-quality of care to everyone who walks through our doors.

By Kristy Bleizeffer Dec 15, 2016

It’s often called the stomach flu or food poisoning. It can ruin a business’ reputation and strip the cheer from the company Christmas party. It is the scourge of daycares, nursing homes and classrooms. It is norovirus, and according to a press release from the Wyoming Department of Health, it is spreading through Casper and Cheyenne.

By Kristy Bleizeffer Nov 14, 2016

In America, at least 23,000 people die every year from infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 2 million become sick from resistant bacteria .Antibiotic use (or misuse) is the No. 1 factor leading to antibiotic resistance. That’s why the CDC designated Nov. 14-18 Get Smart About Antibiotics Week. Here, Mark Dowell, M.D., answers common questions about antibiotic resistance.

By Kristy Bleizeffer Jul 1, 2016

Something to remember while planning your summer picnic with family and friends: Mosquitoes, ticks and deer flies are hoping to make a picnic out of you. Bug bites aren’t just itchy and annoying. A man in Big Horn County died last year in an outbreak of tularemia that sickened 22 people. Here’s a look at the infections these blood suckers could spread after puncturing your skin with their flexible probing mouthparts this holiday weekend.

By Kristy Bleizeffer Jun 15, 2016

The Zika virus is carried by a mosquito closely related to the carrier of yellow fever, and it has been shown to cause alarming birth defects in newborn babies. So far, it’s been reported in Africa, the Caribbean, and areas of South and Central America. Do we, in the great northern state of Wyoming, have anything to worry about? Here, infectious disease specialist Mark Dowell, M.D., answers seven questions about Zika basics.